


An Unconventional Suggestion

by mansikka



Series: Oh No! There Was Only One Bed! [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-28 23:23:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21400345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: Alec's flight is canceled because of bad weather, so he decides to take a room in the airport hotel for the night. Though what happens when he finds his room is already occupied?
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Oh No! There Was Only One Bed! [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1542817
Comments: 21
Kudos: 239
Collections: Favorite Malec Stories, SHBingo





	An Unconventional Suggestion

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is for the Shadowhunters Bingo square - One Bed.
> 
> It's turned into a two-parter, so yes, **certain events of the evening will get their own separate part!**

This rain is never going to _stop_.

Alec looks at the airport windows listening to the constant hammer of the storm outside, willing his flight not to be canceled. He should have taken an earlier one, shouldn't have been so persuaded by his little brother's pleading to stay a while longer. But Alec hasn't visited Max and their dad often enough since their parents divorcing split the family up as it has, so it didn't take much guilt-tripping to keep him around. But looking at the rain that's been relentless for the past hour or so, and wincing when the sky flares bright with lightning, all Alec wants now is to be back home.

Well, perhaps not _home_, but at least back in New York. Moving back into the house he'd grown up in to keep his mom company following the devastation his dad's affairs had brought to the family had seemed like the best idea at the time. Why it had to be _him_ was obvious. Jace had not long bought an apartment with his girlfriend Clary. Izzy's work as a pathologist kept her working long hours, and the few hours she wasn't working she spent with her boyfriend Meliorn.

Alec is single, hasn't had so much as a date in years. He's also the only one of his siblings with a fairly flexible schedule since he is a freelance editor and can pick his own hours. He can work from anywhere, if he really needs; it might as well be in his childhood home if it gives his mom a little comfort and company. But he's been living there for almost six months now, and this visit to see his dad and Max has highlighted that what Alec is really doing, is avoiding getting on with his own life. It's easy to find excuses to not meet up with friends when his mom looks so sad, and it's the simplest thing in the world not to even _look_ at anyone for knowing he'd never bring a date back to a house he shares with his mother. Why he stopped looking long before he moved in is something he doesn't really want to dwell on.

Alec scowls back out at the weather refusing his thoughts the opportunity to start getting wistful, groaning when the departure board for his flight instead of finally giving him a gate number, blinks a, _canceled_ at him. That groan echoes out around him when other waiting flights are canceled as well, an announcement going out over the airport's tannoy system that all flights in and out are on hold because the wind speeds and heavy rain makes any approach or take-off impossible.

Slinging back the last of his bourbon that he'd bought to calm his nerves for the plane since he loathes flying so much, Alec slides from his barstool and searches for a sign for the airport hotel. He is on edge in the queue since it seems everyone has had the same idea, worrying that he'll have to sprawl out on one of those awful cold airport chairs to sleep if the hotel is full. He smiles in relief when he has his room key, checking the floor and room number twice before stepping in the elevator. Alec slides the key card in the door, already reveling in the thought of a hot shower, and maybe even reading in bed for a while.

"What the _fuck_?"

Alec stumbles backward in surprise for the broad-shouldered, beautifully muscular man glaring at him in fury already in the room, his bag thudding from his shoulder to the floor. Alec tries not to look, tries not to notice that the beautiful, _beautiful_ man has a towel up to his head drying his hair, and he's standing there furious-looking, and gloriously naked. Alec also _can't_ not look, his eyes betraying him by dropping, before he backs out of the room belatedly with his hands up in apology, tripping over his bag as he does. He pulls the door back closed as an afterthought, looking at the number on it and that on his card, slumping as he makes his way back down to reception wanting the ground to open up and swallow him.

"Hi," Alec says to the receptionist that is thankfully now free, sliding the key card across to her, "I think I have the wrong room key."

The receptionist _Wendy_ takes the card and checks it in the system, sliding it back to him and shaking her head. "No. You're all set, Mr. Lightwood."

"You don't understand," Alec stammers out, "there's a man already in there who—"

"There seems to have been a mix up with my room."

Alec freezes for the voice beside him, knowing it's _that_ man without even having to look. Why would he not have an equally beautiful voice to match a physique that's made Alec a little stupid for getting just a glimpse of? Alec screws up his eyes sure his throat and face are on fire with his embarrassment, thankful that the man is at least wearing clothes. Soft lounge pants and an even softer-looking sweater clinging to his still-damp skin, and hair sticking up in every direction that Alec has the urge to get his fingers through. Alec, _stop_.

"Hi," the man says with a tight smile, as he too slides his key across.

"Hi."

Alec listens as the man explains the situation keeping perfectly still, not knowing what to do with himself.

"Mr. Bane," Wendy says, her eyes round in alarm as she glances at Alec's key as well, "I'm afraid there has been a mix up."

"If by _mix up_, you mean this poor man here walked in on me after my shower and was subjected to me in the altogether, then, _yes_, I would say there has been one."

"I didn't mind," Alec blurts out before he can stop himself, backing away again with his hands up for his stupid words. "I mean—"

"It's quite alright," _Mr. Bane_ tells him with _his_ hand up to stop Alec from rambling. He even looks _amused_, for which Alec is relieved. "Though now you'll just have to strip so I can return the favor. I'm _kidding_," he adds, laughing when Alec feels himself stammering over a non-verbal response that doesn't quite make it out.

Does _Mr. Bane_ have to have such a beautiful mind, and voice, and face, and now laugh as well? It's all too much for Alec, who has the sudden reminder that it has been a very, _very_ long time since he's seen anyone naked but himself. Now is _not_ the time to be thinking of such things.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lightwood," Wendy says, her face falling in contrition, "the storm has filled us right up. You've taken one of the last rooms, and as that's not available—"

A deep rumble of thunder is followed by flickering lights overhead, cutting her off. After the boom of thunder, the sky flashes bright again, and Alec is sure the rain is harder than even just a few minutes earlier.

"I've charged the money back to your card," Wendy adds when their interruption has passed, smiling at him in apology.

"Okay. Thanks," Alec says, knowing there is no way he's leaving the airport in search of a different hotel for the night. He'll have to make a bed out of those awful chairs after all. He walks away in dejection, making his way back to the bar he'd been in earlier, thinking that after another bourbon he can perhaps start asking about the flight that he'll have to get when the storm passes.

The departure and arrivals board doesn't give him any information, or hope. It flickers through three pages for upcoming flights for the next few hours, and every single one reads _canceled_. The storm continues to rage, the rain relentless, and Alec feeling both foolish and sorry for himself. He finishes his drinks in minutes, sliding from his stool this time in search of some airport chair to make his for the night.

"Excuse me."

When Alec feels the soft tap on his arm he already knows that voice, and feels his face flush again.

_Mr. Bane's_ hair is a little drier now, still stood up on end making Alec think he must normally have it styled in some sort of mohawk.

"I've been looking for you," Mr. Bane adds with a flicker of a smile.

"Why?" Alec asks, quickly checking to make sure he picked up his bag from the hotel room. He pats his pockets down as well making sure nothing has fallen out.

"Because. I felt responsible for depriving you of a room for the evening."

"Wasn't you," Alec replies, smiling, _touched_ even, that this stranger would look as guilty as he does.

"No, I know. But I can only imagine that your evening has already been a disappointment, with all those flights being canceled."

Alec glances at the board that is behind Mr. Bane's head, and can't help sighing.

"I'm Magnus," Mr. Bane adds, holding out a hand for Alec to shake.

"Alec."

"Alec," Magnus repeats, "I have an… unconventional suggestion for you."

Alec narrows his eyes in suspicion, having no clue what he might be about to hear.

"I thought, perhaps, if you wanted, then we could… share. The bed is a king. I promise to be a gentleman. And my own flight isn't until late tomorrow morning—presuming that too doesn't get canceled—so there is no hurry for you to be out of the room before I am. I only took a room here because the sale on my apartment completed a day earlier than I thought it would," Magnus adds with a nervous smile.

"Look, Magnus—"

"I can't imagine there will be many places to sleep in out here," Magnus adds with a quick glance around them at the airport. "Certainly none that are comfortable."

Alec is already imagining how his back will ache if he even gets any sleep at all. Maybe he should buy a book, try to stay awake all night in case a flight becomes available soon? Though for the continued flashes of lightning, and the howl of the wind audible even over the bustle of an airport filled with increasingly impatient people waiting to be able to leave, Alec very much doubts anyone will be going anywhere for hours. The thought makes him snappy.

"So you're just willingly offering the other side of your bed to a complete stranger, because…?"

Magnus swallows awkwardly, smiling again. "Well. Honestly? I don't know. I only feel like I should."

"Your new place isn't ready?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You said, your apartment just got sold," Alec says, out of his depth and having no idea what to make of this situation. "The new place isn't ready yet?"

"Oh, it is," Magnus tells him, "it just happens to be a little distance from here, is all."

"Where?"

"New York."

Alec licks his lips unconsciously, finding his eyes lingering on Magnus' before he can drag them away again. "That's where I'm going. Where I'm from, I mean."

"Really, now," Magnus says, his eyes crinkling as he smiles, "what a wonderful coincidence."

"Right."

"In any case," Magnus says, squaring his shoulders, "I just know I wouldn't have settled had I not at least found you, and made the offer."

This is _insane_, Alec thinks as he considers it, telling his mind to stop wandering as it is. He _can't_ be considering it. He's never done anything impulsive in his life. "How much?"

Magnus' eyes become startled. "Uh—"

"I mean, I'd want to pay half. For the room," Alec blurts out hoping _Magnus'_ mind isn't as mischievous as his own and wondering what he might be meaning.

"Oh. Well, since it's already paid for, if you feel like buying dinner, I haven't eaten yet."

Magnus looks hopeful as much as he looks uncertain, as though he's wondering why he's doing this at all. Alec tells himself to walk away, to say thanks but no thanks, and to lay out whatever he can from his overnight bag to at least cushion whatever cold seating he'll be stuck on. Alec finds himself nodding in agreement instead.

"If you're sure, Magnus—"

"I am," Magnus quickly says, before doubt flickers in his eyes, and he adds, "at least, I think I am."

"Well. How about dinner anyway," Alec says, smiling for the mixed emotions warring across Magnus' face. Does he have to look so good? Really; is it necessary? "You might take back your offer after we eat."

"Why? Are you particularly messy?"

"I don't think so."

"Then we should find out, hmm?" Magnus says, now looking a mixture of uncertain and determined, which shouldn't be possible.

"Let's find somewhere," Alec replies, turning when Magnus gestures in the direction for them to take.

* * *

_Magnus_ might just be perfect. Alec can't remember the last conversation he's had that he hasn't tried to find a way of, or when he's laughed this much. Or felt so _comfortable_. They'd eaten a quick dinner at the airport's main restaurant then returned to their room, detouring to buy a bottle of the bourbon Alec had been drinking earlier on the way, which they're working through currently. For complete strangers, they already feel like friends, and Alec knows it might be the alcohol talking, but he already hopes they'll stay in contact in New York.

Magnus is a personal stylist, a successful one from the sound of things, planning on building up his client portfolio in New York since he already has so much work there. Up until now, he's commuted, though is looking forward to returning to New York to live. That Magnus already knows the city, and venues, bars, and clubs that Alec has never even heard of, makes Alec's own life seem so small in comparison. Which he doesn't mind too much, really, only hoping that Magnus won't find him _too_ uninteresting for it.

"So, Alec. You mentioned that you were thinking of looking for a new apartment?" Magnus asks when he tops up Alec's glass yet again.

Alec thinks to spin his story out to make it sound far better than it does to his own ear, but then only blurts out an abridged version of his circumstances, earning himself a soft smile of understanding.

"Families can be difficult," Magnus agrees, stretching a little and rolling his neck.

His feet are resting on a chair from where he's sprawled out at the head of the bed while Alec is taking up space at the foot of it. The room is small, the large king bed almost too big for it, though with clever closet space that folds away into the wall, there is enough floor space for them to get around one another when they need to.

"Yeah, they can be," Alec replies, finding himself talking then about his siblings. Alec hopes he doesn't sound too obviously different from them all, for Jace, Izzy, and even Max being far more outgoing than he is at times.

"I have no siblings, and my mother died long ago," Magnus tells him when Alec has finished speaking.

"Magnus, I'm sorry."

"And my father is… let's just say that a large motivating factor of my move is to put a distance between us. I think unconsciously I always knew how much he hates New York, and learned to love the city so much in the hope he wouldn't find reason to follow me there."

Alec wants to ask questions, to understand why Magnus' jaw clicks the way it does when he talks of his father. He tells himself he'll have plenty of time to find out, though doesn't quite know how to raise the subject of them keeping in contact. Then chides himself for overthinking, and lurches from the bed deciding a break from drinking by taking a shower is probably the best thing he can do if he doesn't want to embarrass himself. As he stands, Alec pulls back the curtain to check how the weather is. The rain is still hammering against the window with no signs of showing, wind whipping up the trees outside the hotel and bending them over.

"Flashing me is only optional," Magnus teases when he returns from quickly using the bathroom while Alec takes out a change of clothes from his bag.

"I don't think I need to put you through having to see that," Alec replies, trying not to notice the way Magnus discreetly checks him out as he passes. It's the _drink_ he tells his reflection when he's put the bathroom door between them, then steps into the shower hoping the water washes away at least some of his wandering thoughts. When the lights flicker, he pleads with the hotel's electrics to not go out; at least until he's showered.

When Alec returns from the shower, Magnus is cross-legged and scrolling through something on his laptop. He's deep in thought, though looks up with an absent smile for Alec.

"Everything okay?" Alec asks, carefully folding his dirty clothes away into his bag, thinking of the mound of laundry waiting for him when he finally gets back home.

"It seems my desire to build my client base is taking off a little quicker than I was anticipating," Magnus tells him, turning the laptop for him to look.

Alec realizes he is looking at a calendar, laughing in surprise for how full it is. There doesn't seem to be a day in the next three weeks where Magnus doesn't have something happening. Alec tries not to notice the names or wonder anything about them.

"Magnus. You ever heard of _sleeping_?" Alec teases, smiling when Magnus tops up his glass yet again.

"Oh, there will be plenty of time for sleep. And besides, my hope is that after a brief adjustment period things will… ease," Magnus settles on saying eventually as he looks back at his schedule.

"Well. I hope you have time for at least some moments for yourself in all of that," Alec says, sitting beside him when Magnus pats the bed.

"It's not all work and no play. These two people here happen to be good friends of mine; I'll at least have a welcome to New York to look forward to tomorrow evening. If this weather ever clears, of course."

Alec reads the names _Catarina_ and _Ragnor_, trying to picture these friends of Magnus', wondering what kind of people they might be. "Well. That's something."

"And what about you?" Magnus asks. "When you aren't busy editing, what do you like to do?"

"I spar with my brother Jace. Archery. I draw sometimes," Alec adds, hoping he doesn't come across as too boring.

"Do you dance, Alec?"

"Dance?"

"Yes."

"Sometimes," Alec says, now stuck with the image of _Magnus_ dancing. Magnus' clothes he caught a peek of, hung up perfectly in the room's single closet, so Alec already knows how well he dresses. Coupled with the eye makeup he saw in the bathroom, and the perfectly applied polish currently on Magnus' fingers, Alec is certain Magnus must look incredible wherever he goes.

"Well, then. Perhaps you would like to be part of my welcome to New York," Magnus says, his expression innocent though his eyes twinkling with mirth when Alec half-chokes on his drink—for inappropriate thoughts that he _cannot_ share.

"Uh… sure?"

"There is a club I have been to many times over the years, called Pandemonium. I intend to visit it on the weekend, if you'd like to join me. _Us_."

"That sounds great," Alec says without hesitating, relieved to have at least one excuse to see Magnus again—which he shouldn't be thinking already. But now they'll have to at least exchange numbers so that they can arrange to go to this _Pandemonium_, which Alec thinks is a club Izzy has told him about.

"I have been preparing to move back to New York for so long that I didn't think too much about the day to day things," Magnus adds with a slightly wistful smile that Alec needs to find out more about.

"What do you mean?"

"Well. Obviously, I have somewhere to live, and hopefully, ample work. And I have at least a couple of friends there already, though they are both fairly busy people. Catarina works in a hospital, and Ragnor teaches high school. I suppose I fear, at least initially, that I will have a lot of free time on my hands."

"Well, not according to your schedule," Alec teases.

"No, I suppose not," Magnus replies, smiling back, "though I mean more that I know very few people. It will take time to make new friends, build on those I already have."

"Yeah. I have great friends that I've known for years. I can't imagine what it's like to start over with things like that."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Magnus says, even though doubt flickers in his eyes.

"You said moving _back_ to New York," Alec says quickly to stop him all but offering himself in friendship. Either he's the lightweight drinker Maia has always accused him of being, or the strangeness of his evening is making his mind work in ways it wouldn't normally.

"Yes. I studied there for my Bachelors, and then my Masters."

"Why did you move away again?"

"Honestly? I'm not sure. I traveled a little for a while after finishing my studies. Convinced myself I didn't even like the idea of living in one location. Though when I walked into the apartment in New York with a realtor I'd hired, I knew I was walking into my future home."

"That's great, Magnus," Alec says, hoping he's as lucky to find somewhere like that when he actually starts looking. He doesn't think he can deal with the sad drop of his mom's face when he eventually moves back out, but he can't stay there forever.

"I hope you'll come to my housewarming," Magnus adds, watching Alec over his glass as though he's drinking to keep his mouth busy so Alec can't see the look on his face.

"I'd love to."

"Well, good. I haven't a date in mind yet; there are some furnishings I need to have delivered before I can even think about having guests."

"I hope you'll be settled in soon," Alec tells him, holding up his glass for Magnus to clink his against.

Magnus observes him without speaking for a moment then clears his throat and looks away, looking into his glass before drinking from it. "Perhaps I've had too much to drink already. We've barely known each other a couple of hours, and I've already invited you into my home."

The drink has made Alec bold, because before he can stop himself, he's replying with, "well, you already invited me into your _bed_…"

Magnus drops his head, his shoulders shaking as he laughs. "Well. I suppose I did that, yes."

Alec can't take the words back now and feels like an idiot, quickly gulping back his drink. "Do you wanna maybe watch something?"

Magnus follows the tilt of Alec's head towards the room's TV, his smile soft. "Of course."

They have just chosen some awful-looking movie to watch for finding little else, when the lights give another violent flicker, before going out altogether. Alec looks around him in the darkness, reassured for the warm length of Magnus' arm pressed against his own.

"Well."

Alec doesn't know what to say either. He carefully gets up from the bed, feeling his way around the room and opening its door to find other people out in the hall murmuring for the lack of power.

"You think we should go downstairs?" Alec asks, even as he closes the door again and locks it.

"I don't know. Hopefully, it won't be out for long," Magnus replies, though when he stands and moves to pull back the curtain, everything outside is dark. Alec can't even see any lights in the distance when he joins him, trying not to let his thoughts race for wondering if the power-out is going to take much time to fix. Just how long is the airport going to ground flights for?

"I should have charged my laptop before I left my dad's," Alec says, though can't remember if he has anything saved on there for them to watch or listen to that Magnus might like.

"I think I am almost out of laptop battery myself."

"Well. I guess we could sleep early?" Alec says, not sure he can even sleep for now being on edge for when the power may or may not come back on.

"Are you tired?"

"Not really."

"Can you drink in the dark?"

"Yeah, I think I can still do that," Alec says, laughing. After bumping into one another and rearranging their pillows, they lean back against the headboard passing the bottle between them, talking just as easy as they had done with the lights on. And in the dark it's easier to lean; Magnus' knee is resting Alec's leg, and Alec's fingers are still on Magnus' thigh from where he passed him the bottle earlier. He's swapped hands so he doesn't have to draw his fingers back, ignoring any thoughts that he should be _cautious_.

"How long do you think the lights have been out now?" Magnus asks when they realize that they have almost finished the bottle.

"I'm not sure. We could go down, check what's going on?"

"We could. Though how would we get back into the room? Will the key even work?"

"What about the room's phone?" Alec asks, leading to Magnus picking up the phone and dialing the reception desk, listening to instructions to stay put, and hearing that there was no other news.

"Well. What do we do now?" Magnus asks. "I suppose it is late enough to sleep?"

"I guess we could."

Stumbling for both the alcohol and not being able to see anything, they take it in turns to get ready for bed. Alec ignores the thrill of excitement rushing through him when they climb into bed, pleading with his limbs to keep to their side of it. Magnus is polite as he jostles beside him, awkwardness growing between them as they lie on their backs. How are they going to sleep like this?

"This isn't something I normally do," Magnus says after a while. Alec hears the click of his swallow and smiles up into the dark.

"What? Get stranded in a hotel room with the power out?"

"Well, that too. Though, you know what I meant."

"I do," Alec agrees. "And me neither."

"It is also quite a long time since I shared a bed with anyone. In any context," Magnus adds, his tone making Alec's heart thud.

"Yeah," Alec says, "same for me."

"Well," Magnus says then, fidgeting and starting to turn on to his side, "I suppose we should try to sleep."

Alec also turns, knowing it is for the best to put his back to Magnus, the temptation to wrap his arms around him too strong for him not to. "Yeah. We should."

"Goodnight, Alec," Magnus says, once Alec stops moving around. Alec smiles against his pillow, certain that sleep isn't coming any time soon.

"Goodnight, Magnus," he replies, listening to Magnus sigh behind him. Alec closes his eyes, and tells himself at least to try to sleep.

* * *

Alec is put on the first flight to New York that becomes available, looking at the waiting queue to board and not trusting there is enough space for them all. Though everyone crams in, shuffling to their seats slowly, Alec stowing his bag in the overhead locker and hoping the flight passes as quick as possible. Being crammed into the window seat with his long legs, when every part of him is aching, is going to mean an uncomfortable few hours.

He looks out the window at the still cloud-filled sky, wondering how long it will be before it rains again. There are puddles of water everywhere he looks, though apparently not so many to prevent them from taking off. He hopes so, anyway. One of the runways has been closed because of flooding, meaning the entire airport will likely be backed up for days. Alec thinks he won't believe he actually gets to leave until he feels the plane take flight.

"Good morning."

Alec smiles for the voice he hears, taking his time to watch his seat neighbor stretching to put his bag in the overhead locker, revealing a crescent-shaped bruise on his side as he struggles to get the bag in right as he does.

"Good morning," Alec replies when the man has finished, finally making himself look up and catch his eyes. He's _beautiful_, Alec thinks, taking in the clothes that could make the man a model, perfectly applied eyeliner, and a mohawk that Alec fights the urge to _destroy_ with his fingers, because it looks so _good_.

Magnus slides into the seat beside him, his eyes deliberately lingering over a hickey that Alec has tucked his collar up over but failed to hide. Magnus grins back at him when he lifts his gaze again, settling in his seat after securing his seatbelt, wincing as he tries to get comfortable, as Alec has just done.

The air stewardess begins to issue their instructions, reminding them to turn off their cells. Magnus takes a few seconds longer to do his, quickly thumbing through something on the screen first.

"That was my realtor," he tells Alec when he pushes his phone into his pocket.

"Oh?"

"Some of my new furniture has been delivered this morning. The rest will be coming tomorrow. And my crates from my old apartment are being carried into my apartment as we speak."

"That's good, Magnus. You'll be settled in, in no time."

"I hope so."

More instructions follow from the air stewardess preventing them from hearing one another, as the final few passengers rush to get themselves organized and seated. They both press into their seats as the plane begins to taxi through the airport, and Alec knows relief when the plane finally takes off.

"I _ache_," Magnus says softly after a few minutes of them flying, leaning closer to Alec's ear to keep his words discreet.

Alec turns his head and catches his smile, echoing it. "Yeah, me too."

"No regrets though, hmm?" Magnus asks, and Alec smiles back in reassurance, glad that his own fears appear to be unfounded as well.

"None," he says, watching further relief widen Magnus' smile.

"You know what sounds really good, right about now?" Magnus asks, his eyes darting over Alec's face.

"What?"

"Steak. Medium-rare. Several homemade margaritas. And a long, hot bath."

"You're right," Alec agrees, groaning softly at the thought of sinking into hot water. Preferably with company to wrap himself around. _This_ company. "That sounds amazing."

"You know, Alec. With that furniture that was just delivered, I think I should be able to get at least one room of my apartment livable today."

"Really," Alec says, telling himself not to get excited, not to let his imagination run away picturing all kinds of things Magnus probably doesn't mean.

"Yes," Magnus agrees.

"And which room would that be?" Alec asks, because he's sleep-deprived, and has little control over his words for having barely any time for coffee this morning.

"The bedroom."

Alec nods, turning his face forward again because if he doesn't, he won't stop grinning at him. He can't stop grinning _anyway_. "Well. If you need any help, or anything, I can push back any work I was going to do today until tomorrow."

Magnus hums in approval, reaching across the seats to lace his fingers through Alec's against his thigh, without saying another word. Alec can't _wait_ to get back to New York.


End file.
